I had a call from an employee recently, who disclosed they were having a romantic relationship with a senior manager at work. Not an everyday call as you can imagine, although romantic relationships do happen in the workplace and are more common than you may think.
People spend a lot of time with their colleagues, sharing ideas, tackling problems together, celebrating wins and venting frustrations, so it’s no surprise that sparks can fly and romance can blossom. All of this is a recipe for making it inevitable that some working relationships may turn into romantic ones. But is it a recipe for disaster or a love story in the making?
On one hand, there is a big potential risk it could result in claims of sexual harassment, favouritism and unfair treatment further down the line. The risks are potentially greater if the relationship occurred between a manager and a more junior member of staff, and particularly if they work in the same team or on the same project. On the other hand, it can create an amazing collaboration of big ideas. You can see how things can become messy, so, what are the realities of mixing business with pleasure?
There are no specific UK laws preventing romantic relationships at work. Under the Human Rights Act, people have a right to a private and family life, and this includes their personal relationships. So really, it’s up to the employer to decide how they tackle this situation and ensure they strike a balance between an employee’s right to privacy and an employer’s obligation to protect the working environment, its other employees, its business interest and reputation.
Let’s look at some of the legal issues that can arise from a romantic working relationship:
- Sexual harassment or discrimination claims from one of the employees if unwanted advances are involved, if the relationship ends badly or one party refuses to accept the relationship is over. Other claims may arise if the more junior employee is later ignored for promotion.
- Data protection or privacy claims if the employer investigates the relationship. For example, social media posts or banter about a relationship between colleagues may lead to bullying and harassment claims.
- Sex or age discrimination claims if one of the employees is forced to move to another team or area of the business.
The starting point to prevent adverse effects of romantic relationships between employees is for the business to have clear standards of behaviour in their policies and processes. Some businesses may also have a specific policy on relationships at work.
Having a standalone policy could include requiring employees to confidentially disclose workplace relationships, particularly those that might create a conflict of interest such as a relationship between a manager and a direct report, or relationships with clients, suppliers, or those tendering for contracts. Also included will need to be some consideration of changing reporting lines once a relationship is disclosed, for conducting appraisals, awarding pay rises and assessing performance objectively.
Overall, a standalone policy to help manage romantic working relationships should assess whether the benefits outweigh the potential disadvantages. It should also communicate the rationale for these policies clearly to staff, so they are seen as proportionate, helpful and not an unnecessary intrusion.
Romance at work isn’t inherently bad, its just complicated! By raising awareness and understanding the potential pitfalls and adopting practical strategies, couples can successfully navigate their romantic relationship while maintaining professionalism and integrity.
At the end of the day, we’re all human, so the key to success is open communication, adherence to company policies, and a commitment to keeping work and personal life separate.